Jos Verstappen will return to an F1 race for the first time since telling Mail Sport Red Bull could be ‘torn apart’ if Christian Horner stayed on following the scandal that engulfed the team principal and organisation.
In a development that could prove to be explosive and awkward this weekend in Monaco, the father of world champion Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, is to be back in the fold and was pictured arriving at the famous circuit on Thursday afternoon.
Horner, who is married to former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, was cleared following a lengthy investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards a female colleague.
Verstappen Snr also previously said the situation would ‘explode’ at Red Bull if Horner clung onto his job.
Back in March, he told Mail Sport: ‘There is tension here while he remains in position.
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Jos Verstappen is pictured arriving in Monaco ahead of this weekend’s Grand Prix
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Verstappen is attending his first race since saying Christian Horner staying in his job could tear Red Bull apart
‘The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode. He is playing the victim, when he is the one causing the problems.’
The eyes of the wider world had been focused on the storm around Horner, 50, after sexually suggestive text messages he allegedly sent to a female employee came to public attention in a leaked email.
That leak was 24 hours after an investigation by Red Bull’s parent company in Stuttgart cleared Horner of ‘coercive behaviour’ towards the female colleague.
Mail Sport previously revealed that Jos, a former team-mate of Michael Schumacher, had a blazing row in Horner’s paddock office after qualifying of the season’s opening race in Bahrain.
Verstappen, 51, walked out of the fiery meeting before returning to the room and reluctantly shaking hands.
According to his affiliates, Horner believes Verstappen Snr has orchestrated a campaign to unseat him for the past few weeks, the implication being that the Dutchman even had a hand in the email leak.
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Max Verstappen will be desperate to put any distractions to one side this weekend
Verstappen denied the claims, saying: ‘That wouldn’t make sense. Why would I do that when Max is doing so well here?’
The fallout has been significant and legendary Red Bull car designer Adrian Newey will leave at the end of the season and is expected to join Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari next term.
Red Bull have been beaten on two occasions already this season, once by Ferrari and then by Lando Norris of McLaren in what looks to be a more open race for the championship.
